


Sharing Ray

by Slashmommy



Category: Whitechapel (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-07
Updated: 2015-02-08
Packaged: 2018-03-10 22:28:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,376
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3305669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slashmommy/pseuds/Slashmommy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Don't know how long this is going to be and it hasn't been beta'd.  Judy is tired of watching the boys go round and round and decides something has to be done. Post Series 3.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Making Arrangements

Judy took a deep breath and dialed the phone. It had to be done. Joe and Ray would just make a mess of things if she didn't step in.

  
“DI Chandler.”

“Hi, Joe. It's me, Judy.”

“Judy? Ray is down--”

“Actually, I called to talk to you, Joe.”

“To me?”

“Yes, I need a favor, luv.”

“Of – of course. Anything.”

“I need you to keep Ray for the weekend.”

“Keep Ray?”

“Let him stay with you, just until Monday. My sister is coming to visit which is lovely for me and the kids, but she drives Ray spare. He'll be absolutely miserable here and I was just thinking you two could have a lads weekend. You know – have a few drinks, go to the pictures, whatever.”

“Judy, I – I don't know if that's such a good idea. Ray – well, he'd never go for it.”

“Don't you worry about Ray, I can handle him.”

“Well, then I guess that would be fine.”

“Wonderful. Glad that's sorted. What time should I have him come round?”

“I've a few things to tie up here and I'll need to get a few things ready before ...”

“I'll aim for 8:30 then. Ta, pet. You're a lifesaver,” Judy said as she hung up the phone. “One down, one to go.”

 

   ***********

 

Sighing, Judy looked up from where she was feeding Martha when she heard the door open and close. She could hear Miles as he put his things away and then head out to the backyard. She knew exactly where he was going. She waited, impatiently, for Martha to finish, put her in the playard and then headed out to the koi pond.

“Hello, luv,” she said, getting only a nod in response. “Hard day?”

“He won't let me in. He was bloody hard to take care of before this, but I really think this might break him.”

“Joe still won't talk about it then.”

“It's like we're back at the beginning again. I'm just his DS, nothing more. AND his OCD is playing up. Caught him sorting thumb tacks again.”

“Then it's a good thing you're spending the weekend with him,” she said causing him to do a double take.

“What did you just say?”

“That it's a good thing you're spending the weekend at Joe's place.”

“And how did this come about?”

“Simple, I asked him to keep you for the weekend for me.”

“And he just volunteered for that, did he?”

“Course not. I told him he was saving you for a fate worse than death – a weekend with my sister. You're all packed, but he's not expecting you til later. Gives you time to get a good scrubbing in. If you're going to get anywhere with him, best we have you sparkling.”

“Get anywhere with him? What exactly do you think I'm going to do?”

“I think our Joe is about as touch starved as anyone I've ever met and you are going cuddle, hug, and generally make up for lost time with him,” Judy ordered him with a brief glare. Leaning in she gave him a quick peck. “Sweetheart, I'm not blind. I know you love me, I don't doubt that, but you're miserable and you're going to stay miserable until Joe's okay. If I want my Ray back, I'm going to have to share you and … surprisingly, I'm okay with that.”

“What – What are you saying?”

“I'm saying that if it weren't for Joe, you wouldn't bloody well be here to sit all sad and sulky at your pond. I'm saying that you've gone and fallen for your boss and that if he'd thought he had a chance with you, he wouldn't have been contemplating anything with this Morgan bird. But mainly, I'm saying – I'm saying go get your man.”

“I'm not --”

“Raymond Miles, don't you dare try to deny it. I've seen the two of you with my own eyes. You can tell yourself it's just friendship and toss women at him left and right, but we both know you were just trying to keep things from changing. We'll make this work – you and me and you and him. I don't think he could handle you full time anyway. You're a right handful, you are. Now, get inside and grab a bite to eat then up you get to have a soak.”

“You are amazing,” Ray told her, giving her a loving kiss. “What did I ever do to deserve you?”

“Not a thing, you just got lucky. Get on with you,” she said as she shooed him into the house.

 

**************


	2. An Evening at Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joe's first evening with a houseguest doesn't go quite how he was expecting.

Joe took one more look around his guest room. It was still just as spotless as it had been before. Fresh linens were on the bed. A coaster was on the bedside table, just in case Miles took a drink to bed with him. He couldn't imagine how he was going to get through this weekend. At least it was Miles who knew most of, if not all, his … eccentricities. Heading down the hall to his own bedroom, he changed his shirt. Sadly, it was the fourth shirt of the day. He'd just managed to get his cuff links in place when he heard the knock at the door. Heading over to the front door, he took a deep breath, took one last look around the room, and then opened the door.

The sight that greeted him made Joe smile. Miles in a sweater and khakis was unusual enough, but the poor man was clearly as nervous about this as he was. He could see it in how he was standing – shifting his weight from foot to foot, his left hand tightening and loosening on the handles of a small, rather nondescript suitcase and a bag from Marks and Spencer.

“Good evening, Miles. Come on in,” Joe said gesturing him inside.

Miles came inside, but only just. He stopped just where he could get the door shut behind him, put down his things and took his shoes off. Opening up the Marks and Spencer bag, he pulled out a brand new pair of slippers and put them on. Joe just stood there and blinked for a moment while Miles changed.

“Judy thought they'd be a good idea,” Miles said as he noticed the strange look Joe was giving him. “Figured you'd feel better if I didn't go tracking anything in with me.”

“That – that was very thoughtful of you. Thank you.”

“Right, where should I put my things?”

“Through here,” Joe said, escorting Miles to the guest bedroom to show him around. “Bathroom is right down the hall.”

“I remember. I'll just put my stuff away then. Had tea with Judy so I'm sorted. You eaten anything yet,” Ray asked as he moved past Joe and started emptying his suitcase into the small dresser in the room.

“I – no, actually,” Joe said, realizing he hadn't eaten anything since lunch.

“Go put the kettle on then, I'll be out in a minute and we'll get you sorted.”

Joe did as he was told and headed to the kitchen and began getting the kettle on. It was strange. This wasn't at all like he thought it would go. He figured he'd already be driven mad cleaning up after Miles within moments of him coming into the apartment – dirty shoes on his carpet, coat left haphazardly lying about, and clothes left to wrinkle in the suitcase. None of it had happened. He knew that Ray knew, but there was a difference between knowing and KNOWING.

“You have anything in this kitchen or do I need to go get you a take away?”

“I do manage on my own, Miles,” Joe insisted as he watched Ray opening up the refrigerator.

“You went shopping before I came, didn't you,” Ray asked with a smirk, watching as Joe blushed.

“It's been a long week. I hadn't had time to shop before.”

“Toast me some of that bread over there while I get the rest of this lot ready for you.”

Joe watched as Miles ransacked his fridge, trying to figure out what he was up to. Giving up when Miles pulled out a sauce pan, he went to do as he'd been asked and started making some toast. Miles got to work chopping up cheese and then adding it and some ale into the pan, pouring the rest of the ale into a glass for himself.

“Welsh Rarebit? Really?”

“What? Easy, quick and it should fill you up,” Miles explained as he doctored the mix with mustard, salt and pepper. “Get yourself a plate, this won't take long.”

Joe made his tea and got his plate of toast ready. He smiled at the warm feeling that having Miles there taking care of him gave him. He'd been trying not to rely on Miles so much, but having him there was nice. Miles poured the cheese sauce on the toast and, as soon as Joe was seated at the table, started washing everything he'd used and putting things away. Joe watched him instead of eating. The kitchen soon looked as if nothing had happened in there.

“You better tuck in before it gets cold,” Miles told him, leaning back against the counter and picking up his glass of ale. “Go on.”

At first, Joe was a little nervous eating with Miles just standing there watching him, but the food was good and he really hadn't had anything to eat in the last nine hours. Every once in a while, he'd look up to find Miles watching him eat and smiling at him.

“Thank you, Miles. It's delicious.”

“It's not too late yet. You want to go to the pictures? Watch some telly?”

“I have an episode of Sherlock I haven't had a chance to watch yet. If you're interested that is.”

“Good as anything. I'll clean up in here while you set it up.”

“You cooked, I should --”

“You should get in there and work that new fangled entertainment center of yours is what you should do. Won't be a tick cleaning this lot up. You want to try one of those ales you bought me or you going to get something right snooty out?”

“Cognac is not snooty.”

“Course not. Not snooty at all,” Miles muttered quietly as he did the last of the dishes and got himself another ale from the fridge.

Joe poured himself a snifter and headed into the front room to get everything ready. It didn't take long and he soon found himself sitting next to Miles on the couch. He was actually finding it quite hard to pay attention to the program. Instead he kept noticing little things about Miles. Things he normally wouldn't have noticed. Miles had clearly showered or bathed before he came over. Joe could smell the soap he'd used. Their height difference wasn't as noticeable sitting down. Every once in a while his hand would brush up against the softness of Miles' sweater. It was quite maddening. In an attempt to not bump his hand against Miles, Joe put his arm on the back of the couch. He figured it was safe enough considering it was Miles. He certainly never expected the man to move even closer to him. Joe nearly jumped out of his skin when Miles' grabbed his leg with one hand and motioned toward the screen with the other.

“Course he's there cause Mycroft sent him! No bloody way a DI can go on holiday, come back and head off again without someone upstairs making arrangements.”

“Uh – yes, quite right.”

“You were falling asleep, weren't you?”

“I – yes, I must have been. Long day, didn't sleep well last night.”

“No need to keep me entertained. You get on, get showered and head to bed. I'll go check that we're all locked up and see you in the morning,” Miles told him as he pushed himself off the couch and ;headed to the foyer. Caught out by his little white lie, Joe had no choice but to go get ready for bed.

*****************

Ray checked the door before heading to the guest room. The evening had gone better than he'd feared. He'd been sure that it would be a long and tense evening given the way Joe had been behaving at work, but they'd slipped right back into their old friendship. He had to admit that he was pushing things a bit because of that. He'd been quite enjoying their cuddle on the couch. He remembered pulling the old casual arm around the back routine on Judy when they were first dating, so he'd done exactly what she'd done back then – snuggled in good and close. Ray knew he wasn't a real touchy-feely bloke. It just wasn't on normally, but being tucked up next to Joe felt pretty good.

Changing into the Star Wars pajama bottoms the boys had given him, Ray crawled into bed, put on his glasses and pulled out the books Judy had packed for him. They had colorful book covers on them so you couldn't tell what someone was reading from across the room. He'd started Loving Someone with OCD: Help for You and Your Familywhen he'd been soaking in the bath. He knew he was being too accommodating to Joe's OCD, but he wanted to ease into things. Having Joe on edge wasn't going to help. 

There was a knock at the door and Ray looked up to see Joe opening the door. Sitting down his book and taking off his glasses, he looked up at him to see what he needed, but Joe just stood there staring at him.

“ Need something, sir?”

“No, I – I just wanted to check in see if you needed anything.”

“I'm all set. I'll see you in the morning.”

“Yes, in the morning. Uh, Good night, Miles,” Joe said, hurrying out of the room.

Miles tried to keep from laughing out loud. He hadn't been sure that Judy was right about Joe being interested in him, but he recognized the look on Joe's face. It was the same one he'd given to Norroy when she would take him by surprise and cross her legs. Who'd have thought his bare chest would have been enough to get that reaction.

 

 

 

 


End file.
